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. 2019 May 8;137(1):13-24.
doi: 10.1590/1516-3180.2018.0292071218.

Secondhand smoking, knowledge/attitudes and socioeconomic status among married Bangladeshi women: a cross-sectional study

Mosiur Rahman  1 , Sheikh Mohammad Mahmudul Hasan  2 , Syed Emdadul Haque  3 , Nuruzzaman Haque  4 , Mosfequr Rahman  5 , Golam Mostofa  4 , Sarwar Zahan  6 , Durrul Huda  7 , Saber Al- Sobaihi  8 , Kapil Ahmed  9 , Howlader Mohammad Miraz Mahmud  10
Affiliations

Secondhand smoking, knowledge/attitudes and socioeconomic status among married Bangladeshi women: a cross-sectional study

Mosiur Rahman et al. Sao Paulo Med J. .

Abstract

Background: There is a paucity of research on knowledge/attitudes regarding the dangers of exposure to secondhand smoking (SHS) among women. The relationship between exposure to SHS, socioeconomic status (SES) and knowledge/attitudes regarding the risks of SHS has often been ignored. We therefore aimed to examine (1) whether SES and exposure to SHS were independently associated with knowledge/attitudes regarding the risks of SHS; and (2) whether women with low SES and exposure to SHS were uniquely disadvantaged in terms of deficient knowledge and more dismissive attitudes towards the risks of SHS.

Design and setting: Cross-sectional study in the Rajshahi district, Bangladesh.

Methods: A total of 541 women were interviewed. Knowledge of and attitudes towards the risks of SHS were the outcomes of interest.

Results: A majority of the respondents were exposed to SHS at home (49.0%). Only 20.1% had higher levels of knowledge, and only 37.3% had non-dismissive attitudes towards the risks of SHS. Participants in the low SES group and those exposed to SHS had lower odds of higher knowledge and their attitudes towards the risks of SHS were more dismissive. Regarding deficient levels of knowledge and scores indicating more dismissive attitudes, women in the low SES group and who were exposed to SHS were not uniquely disadvantaged.

Conclusions: Exposure to SHS and low SES were independently associated with deficient knowledge and scores indicating more dismissive attitudes. Regarding knowledge/attitudes, the negative effect of exposure to SHS extended across all socioeconomic backgrounds and was not limited to women in either the low or the high SES group.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: None

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Distribution of knowledge grading according to exposure or non-exposure to secondhand smoking, after stratification according to socioeconomic status.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.. Distribution of attitude grading according to exposure or non-exposure to secondhand smoking, after stratification according to socioeconomic status.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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